#Chapter 4 moving in

[renee-writer]

The Contractor Chapter 4 Moving In

AO3

His men grouse as they clean an area for, “her royal pain in the arse,” as Angus puts it.

 

“This is her house. We are just hired help. It will do you both good to remember that.” His stern glance meets theirs. They both squirm.

 

“Aye Jamie.” Rupert gathers the rubbish into a bag.

 

“As you say. She just needs to stay out of the way.” Angus gathers the broom and dust bin, carrying them out. Jamie exams the space. He is satisfied.

 

A clean wooden floor, smelling of wood shavings ( now removed). It shines under it’s new stain. The walls are likewise clean if bare. Stone covered in wood, painted over with a coat of Kilz to protect against mold. It will be painted when Claire decides on a color.

 

On a far wall, the ancient fireplace reigns. Old brick and stone, it is the centerpiece of the room. It was cleaned and tested, certified safe. All loose stones and bricks, re-secured. It is laid out in case she wishes a fire .

 

She arrives at noon after spending the morning with her son. She stops, staring wide eyed at the transformed room.

 

“The walls will be painted as you wish. Carpet or rugs laid according to your preference.” Jamie explains. He leans against the door frame, watching her take it in.

 

“This is excellent work Mr. ahh, Jamie. Maybe a few throw rugs but I love the wooden floors. As for wall color, I don’t know yet. Can I get back to you?” She turns to face him and he stands straight.

 

“Aye Sassanach.”

 

“I will just place a bed in here. Not even that, more a cot, so it is easily moved out of the way.”

 

He nods. “Whatever you wish.”

 

“I really will try to make it easy on you.”

 

Really try, he thinks. That isn’t a definite. Oh well, as he told the lads, this is her home. “We will be working upstairs and on the stairs themselves.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Do you need help with your cot, before I leave?”

 

“No, but I thank you.” He nods, half bows to her, before departing.

 

They soon hear her pulling it in. It seems she has it and they return to work.

[greenheartart]

A new chapter appears!

Anxiety is hard. Trust is harder. Everyone is just trying to do what they think is best, with mixed results.

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 44

PREV

The flight up to New York is a pleasant one.

The time in the airport itself had been less pleasant. Matt, as it turns out, is a firm believer in arriving with just enough time to check a bag, get through security, and get to the gate. He had claimed up, down, left, and right that he had it down to a science.

No matter how many times Smith had wondered about the scientific rigor of this 'science' he still kept it to himself. There was no need for Smith to voice his uncertainty with this plan because Kevin well and truly had it covered.

"You're giving us only an hour to check bags, get through security, and get to our gate?!" Kevin demands.

"Kevin, if you wanted to be there earlier then you could have asked Andrew to give yo a ride." Matt says. "We'll be fine."

"You know what Neil and Andrew get like when they have a long roadtrip ahead of them." Kevin argues.

"All lovey-dovey?" Nicky asks as Aaron makes a gagging sound.

"No, well yes, but no they always stop and buy all of the worst food too." Kevin reminds. "I'm just concerned about us missing our flight! We have barely enough time!" Kevin huffs crossing his arms.

"You're wrong anyways." Aaron says idly as he continues to text with Katelyn.

"How am I wrong?!" Kevin demands.

"We also have to park within that hour that Matt has left us with." Aaron says looking up from his phone.

"Matt!" Kevin squawks.

"It'll be fine." Matt reassures for the 2nd time.

"We all have checked bags!" Kevin exclaims, "What if we miss our flight?!" he wails.

"It'll be fine!" Matt repeats.

"No it won't!" Kevin exclaims.

---

It was fine.

The only real delays they met were at security.

Smith prided himself on being efficient in the security line. He has his watch off, his phone and ID secured in a zipped jacket pocket, his backpack and electronics in separate trays, and his shoes ready to be slipped off.

So he was shamed to have been the cause of the first delay when the TSA agent wouldn't wave Smith through the metal detector since she didn't realize he was there. That had been a whole anxiety attack and a half as the line had formed up behind him all wondering what the hold-up was.

Finally she seemed to startle as she realized that Smith had been standing there waiting and waved him through.

The other delay was that Kevin got patted down after he had forgotten to empty his 'emergency' water bottle.

It was probably for the best that they didn't have to be in the airport for that long. Every announcement that it was very important to not leave your bag unattended made him worry that with every blink somehow someone had slipped a bomb into his backpack.

While it was on his back.

As he was running with the rest of his friends to their gate.

"It just had to be the gate on the other end of the terminal." Aaron huffs.

"It would have been 100% perfect if someone hadn't left their water bottle in their bag despite the, let me check, 3,820 signs that said remove all liquids from your carry-ons!" Matt says as they continues to run.

"I said I forgot!" Kevin yells back from his spot at the front of the pack. Smith was under the distinct impression that Kevin was keeping pace with them since he had seen the Striker move much faster on the court and during warm-ups.

"We could have forgiven that!" Nicky pants, "Why did you have to slam the whole thing to prove that it was 'just water'?" he asks.

"Because I wanted to prove I wasn't a national security threat!" Kevin says. "I'll be going to the Olympics in a couple years and I can't have that on my record." he continues as he rounds a corner.

"What record?!" Smith asks suddenly worried that there was a record.

"Smithy, there's no record Kevin's just an idiot. An idiot who got patted down, tested for explosives, and had his carry-on searched." Nicky huffs.

"You don't know that there's not a record! The record everything nowadays!" Kevin huffs and their gate is in sight.

"Kevin, just shut up!" Aaron exclaims as they reach the line for their flight.

"Wait why aren't any of you getting shitty with Smiths?!" Kevin asks.

"His delay was like a minute and more importantly NOT HIS FAULT!" Nicky defends.

"He should have just walked through!" Kevin argues.

"Oh it's fine if he gets a record but not you?!" Aaron asks.

"So there is a record?!" Smith asks again.

They reach the line and the largely empty area around their gate is more than enough evidence that this was the final boarding. Smith breathed a sigh of relief as he took his place in line behind Nicky.

"The lines pretty slow, I'm going to go get a water." Kevin says and before any of them can say anything he is off towards a busy looking Newsweek store.

"I cannot believe him." Aaron huffs.

"All that water he just drank and is about to drink? He has lost window seat privileges." Matt pants wiping sweat from his brow.

"Agreed." Nicky says.

Smith laughed between panting breaths. His stomach hurt a bit from the stress of running but it was fine.

They get on the plane without Kevin and head to their seats. Most of the overhead storage is taken up at this point but Smith slides his bag under the middle seat in front of him after Matt

In the end, Kevin barely made it onto the plane in time since he got caught up in deciding on water. "You're in my seat." Kevin says as the only man not yet seated.

"I am not about to spend this flight getting up every 2 minutes because you have to pee." Matt says, "Abby didn't used to need to take all those pitstops when we're on the bus." Matt adds.

"I hate the aisle, the cart could hit my legs." Kevin argues.

"Then you can sit in the middle if Smith's willing to move." Matt says.

"You can have the middle Kevin." Smith offers actually preferring the aisle seat since then he doesn't have to ask anyone to move for him.

"I hate the middle seat, there is no room." Kevin crosses his arms.

"Smith is like only 3 inches shorter than you and he's not complaining." Matt continues.

"It's an important 3 inches."

"I bet it is."

"Nicky, are you serious?"

"What?!"

"There is an uninvolved member of the public, right there."

"He's wearing headphones it's fine!"

---

It's fine.

Eventually Kevin takes the middle seat if for no other reason than Matt stubbornly pretends to go to sleep but absolutely does not want the aisle seat either.

Smith gives it up and ends up with his own preferred seat while Kevin pointedly takes both of the arm rests, as is his right. The plane ride progresses smoothly from there. Smith has always liked flying. There is always a sense that the second that he gets onto the plane and the door closes he has absolutely zero control over what happens afterwards.

That is a nice comfort.

He pays attention to the safety briefing, finds his nearest exit, and that he should secure the bag over his own face before securing it on Kevin's.

He puts his headphones on and tries not to think about the anxiety of meeting the 'girls'.

He has heard much about the 'girls'.

Allison Reynolds. Allison was someone who's legacy existed even outside of the team. Smith didn't know much about fashion but a Reynolds bet remained a solid practice within Palmetto. She was, undeniably, absolutely gorgeous and if Kevin was to be believed 'kind of a bitch'. Nicky had swatted his arm but had said that it was not entirely inaccurate but like 'in the best way'.

Dan Wilds. He met Dan. Dan was nice. Also, if Matt was to be believed, the best human to ever walk the planet earth. The reason the sun rose in the east and set in the west. The gravitational pull that held the universe together. If Andrew is to be believed, she's fine.

Renee Walker. Renee was the one who taught Andrew how to use knives. His friend has talked warmly of her, in the way that Andrew talks warmly about anyone which is mentioning them at all. She was the one that Smith was the most anxious about meeting.

Kevin turns his nose up at the ginger ale that Smith gets but he's allowed these now per his actual doctors orders.

1 hour left until arriving at JFK.

He hopes this ginger ale is enough to calm his stomach since he's still not allowed Pepto.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

[kyouka-supremacy]

I think we should just bring back Wungo Wednesday and start a fandom collective anime rewatch

[lynzishell]

Prev // Next

Author’s Note

A few things to understand about Dawn:

She very much lives in the future. It’s what makes her such an optimistic person, and able to shove away the pain of the past. She’s always looking forward. So, when the future is uncertain, she gets a bit frantic.

She would much rather spin out on tangible problems like time and money than face the deeper, more abstract feelings trying to surface. If she’s spinning on the details, then there’s no room for the emotion to come through.

And if she can figure out all those little details and have a plan, then she can go back to living in that future place and keep those nasty emotions buried deep where she believes they belong.

But, as I’m sure we all know, what you don’t face will come back around one way or another.

Transcript:

Phoenix: What are you doing? Dawn: I can’t sleep. Phoenix: What time is it? Dawn: A little after two. Phoenix: Come here, come back to bed. Dawn: I’m too restless.

Phoenix: What’s on your mind? Dawn: Nothing. Everything. Phoenix: Do you wanna talk about it? Dawn: [sighs] I don’t know yet. But since you’re awake, can I ask you something? Phoenix: Of course.

Dawn: What do you want more: to get married or have a baby? Phoenix: What kind of a question is that? Dawn: I just mean, we’re gonna have to prioritize. The fact is, we only have so much money in savings. If we have to go through IVF, then we can’t afford to do that AND have a wedding.

Phoenix: Told you we should’ve eloped. Dawn: I’m serious. Phoenix: I know, I’m sorry. Dawn: So, if we can only do one now, which would you choose? Phoenix: I- I don’t know. I think I’d choose baby, but if it’s important to you to be married first, then— Dawn: No, I don’t care about that. I think I just worry that if we put it off now, then it might never happen. Phoenix: What do you mean?

Dawn: Like, if we go through this process and it’s successful, that’s great, but then we have this baby taking all our time and energy and money and we’re on our own and how do we even save and plan for a wedding while doing all of that? And there’s no guarantee that it will even be successful, so what do we do then? If we put our savings into this and it doesn’t work? Do we save again for a year and be right back where we are now? I hate that it has to be so hard. Maybe it’s better to focus on getting married now because we know in the end that day will be wonderful and happy and then we save and try for a baby after. But we’ve already waited a year to start this process and I don’t know if I want to wait another. I was so happy and excited and now I’m freaking out and I don’t know what the right answer is.

Phoenix: Dawn, sweetie, breathe.

Dawn looks up at him, tears stinging the backs of her eyes threatening to betray her.

Phoenix: Come over here.

Dawn: What? Phoenix: I know it’s not what you want to hear, but there is no right answer. All we can do is take things one step at a time. When is your appointment? Dawn: I don’t know. I was going to call them tomorrow.

Phoenix: Good, go ahead and make the appointment. Let’s see what your doctor says, and then we can decide what direction we want to go. We don’t have to figure it all out now, okay? Dawn: Okay. Phoenix: Is there something else? Dawn: No. I don’t know. I don’t want to talk anymore tonight. Phoenix: Alright. We don’t have to.

Phoenix: It’s all going to work out though, I promise. Dawn: How do you know? Phoenix: Because we’re in it together. Dawn: [grins] Is that the best you’ve got? Phoenix: That’s all I’ve got.

[nanistar]

in case anyone is wondering, yes flybright thinks that saltKit is talking to him, which is why he's more willing to tell her things. yes he has memory issues. Read on TUMBLR | TAPAS COMMISSIONS | PATREON | SBC DISCORD!

[daffi-990]

Fuck it Friday 💦

Tagged by @thewolvesof1998 who posted a sweet little ficlet for today’s tag game. Check it out here 😁.

A little bit of grinding on the dance floor from Chapter 4 of Rival Firefighters 🚒 (I wasn’t originally going to share this but writing dancing or sex of any kind can be challenging and I need validation haha)

Eddie lets the music wash over him, closing his eyes and just letting his body take the lead. He feels large hands tentatively grab his hips from the front but doesn’t dare open his eyes, already knowing who they belong to. He covers Buck’s hands with his own, encouraging him that what he’s doing is okay. Buck moves closer, Eddie feeling the heat from his body as he brings himself right into Eddie’s space, matching the rhythm of Eddie's body and letting him lead them into a slow grind. It’s enough to make their groins brush together on occasion, but nothing more than a tease.

They stay like that for a while, letting themselves get acquainted with the way the other moves and then the music changes, Eddie’s eyes snapping open and finding Buck’s. Eddie gives him a seductive smile as he reaches for Buck’s hips and begins to turn him. Buck goes oh so willingly, like he’s happy to go wherever Eddie leads him, and isn’t that an intoxicating thought. With Buck’s back now facing him, Eddie slips a hand over Buck’s chest to pull him flush against Eddie’s front. Even though he told Buck they weren’t fucking tonight, he didn’t say he wasn’t down for a little bit of fun.

Eddie grinds his half hard cock into Buck’s ass, feeling the man shudder before Buck is pushing back into him, silently asking for more. Eddie runs the hand he has on Buck’s chest up to his neck, fingers wrapping around in a loose hold. Buck responds deliciously with a breathy sigh, head falling back to rest against Eddie’s. Eddie smiles into the skin of Buck’s neck as they continue to move together in a dirty rhythm, Buck’s ass moving against his cock in a torturous friction that has the heat pooling in Eddie’s groin igniting. He removes the hand he has on Buck’s hip to bring it down to his lower belly, fingers teasing the waistband of Buck’s pants. Buck moans and pushes forward slightly, a silent plea for Eddie to continue, and since Eddie is feeling generous, he slips his hand over Buck’s clothed cock. Buck lets out a whine, no doubt having wanted Eddie’s hand directly on his cock, skin to skin, but Eddie’s in charge here, nipping Buck’s neck playfully to remind him of as much.

No pressure tagging: @hippolotamus @wikiangela @monsterrae1 @fortheloveofbuddie @malewifediaz @athenagranted @lover-of-mine @ladydorian05 @loserdiaz @callmenewbie @devirnis @disasterbuckdiaz @wildlife4life @exhuastedpigeon @eddiebabygirldiaz @spotsandsocks @shitouttabuck @steadfastsaturnsrings @watchyourbuck @rainbow-nerdss @try-set-me-on-fire @princessfbi @sibylsleaves @giddyupbuck @fiona-fififi @honestlydarkprincess @hoodie-buck @jeeyuns @jesuisici33 @captain-hen @mellaithwen and all others who wish to share something but haven’t been tagged 😘

[thaliagrayce]

y'know what we don't talk about enough? Hazel died. We talk about how she grew up in the 30's and 40's and we talk about how out of place she feels in the modern world, but! She died! She was dead! She has spent more time dead than alive, and not by a close margin!

How does that effect a person??? We got some of it in the flashbacks, but once those caught up with her present timeline and she shared them, they just kind of... disappeared. And she was a regular girl with some weird past experiences. That's one way of doing it, sure!

I think it would have been a lot cooler if she was just a touch creepier. If she felt a little bit Wrong. Yeah, in general she's more approachable than her brother, she's more sociable and less closed off, but. If you actually spend any time with her, it can be difficult to tell which child of the underworld is actually more unsettling.

Hazel is bright of personality and has a dazzling smile, but sometimes she'll just... shut down. She'll go completely blank for like half an hour and nobody knows what to do with it. Sometimes she forgets she's alive. Sometimes she'll spout the grimmest shit you've ever heard like it's nothing, she won't even notice it's weird until the room goes quiet. She spent decades in Asphodel, which is designed to make people forget about themselves and wander around for eternity, only she didn't have the luxury of forgetting! Wild! After she comes back to life, sometimes she forgets that she's allowed to Do Stuff now. She can spend so long sitting and staring at nothing. Sometimes she'll start crying on cloudless days because it hits her again that she can actually feel the warmth of the sun on her skin and she can hear birdsong. Every little mundane experience is a blessing and she will make you remember that in the most foreboding way possible.

[bellatheinkdemon]

So I was just watching SuperHorrorBro for the new Nightmare Critters thing for Poppy Playtime, and noticed this;

On Poe's little info card, it specifically uses they/them for the edgelord. And for anyone thinking that the info cards for all the Nightmare Critters uses they/them for them to, I dunno, make them enigmatic...;

(Just using Rabie Baby's info card as an example)

...that would be dead wrong. Now I know that I shouldn't jump to conclusions-

But did Mob Entertainment just give us our first they/them (and possibly non-binary) rep in the form of a edgy crow/raven plushie? (/j)

[alissa-xyz]

— I won't do it. You fight your own fight.

"Isn't this what you want? Hm? Victoriae Fiducia. You kill him and you and your daughter will be free: no one can touch her. If you don't, she will have to face the consequences... The choice is yours."

This interaction involved so many gifs...

[dinosaurstirfry]

Everything Elephanto

Some additional things

-On the weird route you burn him and melt him down to a puddle however he is still alive and comes back in a burnt lanky form being held together by string

-without the shadow mantle you are unable to move when he turns your soul purple

-he hates the new elephanto because he replaced him. He trys to take his revenge on him but you interrupt him before it happens

-he's an elephant because of the saying elephants never forget fitting well with deltarune, and also because a cartoon troupe of elephants being afraid of mice as a reference to the possibility of getting sued by disney

-has a peanut allergy

-Hates Ralsei because he believes that Ralsei is a replacement of Asriel

-You're fighting for the freedom of his co-stars

-His boss theme is Saturday-Morning-Cartoons because it's implied that the next few chapters will being taking place on the weekend with alphys saying there's no school tomorrow and spamtons [All Alone on a Friday Night] line. With secret bosses usually taking place near the end of the chapter, it would make sence if it was starting to become day time in the light world during that part of the story which means it'll be Saturday morning

Random Gifs

[lialox]

Omfg Most Ancient Dream you are WAY too powerful do you have ANY idea how annoying it is to write around something like you without nerfing you??

You can BEND realities.

You literally own the Star Stream everything in your own damn universe.

Before probability can even make a dent that MATTERS on you, the entire fate of a whole ass world has to significantly change. 

Ugh.

Like yes you COULD imagine won falling from the sky and all it will do is hurt for a second! Because the worldline will give you a slap on the wrist! Like pressing a finger on a hot stove so your friends can go to PC Bang for free, I get it, I would also try to go for a more normal means of paying before resorting to that. 

In the context of an action fantasy fight though?? Literally the imagination is the limit for you. 

I swear I’m gonna narratively kick your ass like how Singnsong narratively kicks HSY’s overpowered ass!! I am pissed this is taking so many words!! You think I’m made out of time and letters!! Huh!!! Not every person writing your story can go on for hundreds of chapters!!! Fight me!!!! I’ll 1v1 you in the snowfield!!!! You and me rn!!!! You’re not even the protagonist!!!!

[ridgystacis]

its terminal methinks

[sylphwing]

hm. i do not like chilshi 🤔

[tojiscrack]

i can’t wait for the day the liar, liar fic gets so big and i can say i’ve been here SINCE THE LEVI FIC YOU STARTED because your fics are genuinely unlike any other fic i’ve ever read before.

you have me falling in love with even the OC’S, i usually hate oc’s. i can’t really name many fics off the top of my head that i actually liked reading bc as you said in your ‘about me’, i too have a particular way i imagine characters so when i read fics and see them completely different or acting (in my view) ‘cringe’, i immediately get off it. you’ll notice my reblogs are only your posts because i never reblog anything unless it is PERFECT, and my standards are HIGHH so the fact that you’ve managed to get me to reblog your posts is crazy to me. i love you and ur writing sm.

i’m WAITING for the day ‘liar, liar’ gets as big as say ‘7 minutes in heaven’ for example, (the chokehold that fic had on the aot fandom was CRAZY). and not to be… idk, rude(?), but i think your fic is WAYYYY better (and the plot hasn’t even STARTED yet). i’m gonna need people making tiktoks about ‘liar, liar’ STAT so i can have people to talk to about this other than my friend 😭

liar, liar masterlist here:

girl i've BEEN knowing u since the levi fic, which i believe began in august of 2022, so we've known each other for a good two years now, is that not WILD?? (that, and the fact that since august 2022, i've only released 7 chapters of soano, oops-)

'ur fics are genuinely unlike any other fic i've ever read before' -- wishing i was typing this on my phone instead of my laptop rn cuz i can't spam emojis expressing how flattered i feel with this section right here :(((( i'm so pleased u like my works (plural, 'cause despite ur username, and past username, being dedicated to levi and eren, you're out here supporting my jjk megumi fic too).

HELP I DIDN'T THINK ANYONE WOULD READ MY 'ABOUT ME' POST LMAOO. it was just put up there 'cause i needed to get that done and after putting it off for so long, i finally made it lolll. i stalk ur page every once in a while, so i'm well aware of your reposts being just my fics, and not to be big-headed about it, but i'd get so internally cocky just seeing that HAHAHA.

BUT, i was silent about it till now (YOU mentioned it first, nawt me, so i can happily respond this way without being seen as arrogant -- huzzah!). and idk how else to show i appreciate ur support and comments SM (that's including ur blazes which, ik i've spammed ur dm's already but seriously, i can't thank you enough for, it's like another function of tipping which is super SUPER cool of u).

'i’m waiting for the day liar, liar gets as big as say 7 mins' -- aww STOPPPP. i'd love for my stories to have a hold over the jjk fandom, but idk, if we're being real, i feel like the gojo (unreleased) story i have planned will reach more ppl seeing as it features THE satoru gojo (my princess who also happens to be THE princess of anime). but liar liar seems to be growing every day (thanks to YOUR blazes, which again, u really don't have to do ml). if it does ever reach a wider audience, i'll remember you for sure. i'll remember a handful others who are og's too, but you were my first EVER reader ALTOGETHER and i PROMISE you i won't forget that <3

[whumpzone]

Could we have vampire Col accidentally bite Linden maybe? 👀👉👈

Anonymous asked: Could we get some more vampire Colton? Maybe with Colton accidentally biting Linden?

well, you can get something close!

(masterpost)

CW: pet whump, vampire whumpee, brief mention of wanting to die (but then rescinded), some written gore

-

The vampire was no less stiff the next day. Still a model pet, nothing but obedience and eerie silence. He didn’t come out of his room until Linden asked him to. He had crawled out, and Linden had very gently asked him if he could try standing, and of course the poor thing had immediately struggled to his feet.

The vampire was taller than Linden, but from the way he had to hunch over, pawing at the wall to stay vertical, Linden guessed he could be much taller yet.

“If it gets too hard, you can sit down. You’re allowed on the furniture, you know that?”

The vampire nodded listlessly.

“It’s time for breakfast. Want to go downstairs and get ready at the table, like before?”

. . .

More sloppy cow blood. His sleeves were rolled up and he had squinted and turned his face away when he emptied the package, scared it might splatter over his face and clothes, but luck had been on his side. He really didn’t want to deal with cleaning old blood off himself, and he also didn’t want to start smelling any more like a potential meal.

Linden tapped the side of the bowl, seeing if he could make the gelatinous thing jiggle. Maybe he could freeze it? Turn it into an ice lolly to nibble on. But perhaps vampires liked their blood as close to a liquid as possible?

He thought about going the opposite way, then, and seeing if it would melt in the microwave. Oh god, but the smell if he did that. Linden had already sacrificed this bowl to the blood-drive-for-one, he didn’t want to sacrifice the microwave as well.

The vampire therefore received the same miserable offering. If he was disgusted, he certainly didn’t show it. He looked to Linden first, waiting patiently for permission, but when Linden nodded he wasted no time in devouring the contents.

Linden had his arms half-uncovered, blood pulsing just beneath the surface, and the vampire was only now exiting a period of severe starvation. The sudden regular meals had probably woken his stomach up, and now it wanted more, desperate to not starve again.

He had done all of those things and more, carelessly, thoughtlessly, and the final straw was when he reached down to take the bowl. Linden knew he shouldn’t blame himself, but he did.

The vampire had licked it clean, without a single speck of blood left, but it was still Linden taking his food away. Still predatory, in the eyes of a desperate vampire.

He pulled the bowl away just in time to see the vampire’s jaws snap down a hair’s breadth from his own wrist.

Linden jumped out of his skin in fright. “No- don’t!” he cried, stumbling back against the kitchen counter and pulling his arms over his head instinctively. The bowl fell to the floor where it bounced and rolled away.

He realised he had just raised his wrists up to the vampire. Through the gap in his arms, Linden could see the vampire’s eyes were wide and hellishly bright- but with what emotion, Linden couldn’t tell.

“Don’t, please, I’ll turn!”

It had all taken place in less than five seconds. When the vampire didn’t come any closer, Linden lowered his arms, bracing against the counter instead. Hands curled around the scuffed edges. The cutlery drawer, complete with several large knives, with just below him, although he knew if this vampire did pounce, he would have no time to react. He’d only seen a few actual vampire attacks, all of them via videos on social media that had been taken down mere minutes later. Vampiric speed was terrifying. Perhaps the most terrifying thing about them. In half of the videos he’d seen, the victims hadn’t even realised what was happening. One second they were chatting with friends, walking home from a good night out, and the next they had been dragged across the road with their throat torn out.

Their blood didn’t even have time to splatter against the pavement, because the vampire’s jaws had clamped over the gory chasm and begun to feed.

The throat trauma was often so savage that it verged on decapitation. Coupled with the vampire pushing against them, dizzy with the taste of their freshest kill, the human’s head tipped backwards until it touched their shoulders. A body staring up at the stars with dead eyes.

It was that fear that had been sown while seeing such violence that now bloomed as Linden stood in the kitchen, having a face-off with a vampire he had invited into his own home.

The vampire hadn’t moved- not even to kneel. Linden couldn’t tell if that was a good sign or not.

He had a moment, so he breathed.

“You don’t have to do that. I promise. I’m going to feed you, okay? I’m going to feed you every day, and it won’t come with a price. It isn’t going to be like your old life. Even if you can’t trust me yet, I need you to believe me.”

Believing is trusting, he thought. Whatever. What was the vampire going to do, pipe up and correct him?

He knew if this vampire intended to kill him, he’d be dead already. Even this one, in his dangerously weakened state, was still far stronger than any human. Like in the videos, Linden wouldn’t even know when his life ended and his eternal death began- it would be too sudden.

Why had the vampire almost bitten him, then? Why didn’t he do it? Was it his conscience kicking in, or his training, or a mixture of both?

Linden knew he wasn’t an advantageous kill, right now. He was the master of the house, and had already proved that he could supply food, and comfort, and all other basic needs.

He was pinning all his hopes on a simple belief that was seeming more unhinged every day: by the time the vampire was back to his full strength, able to hunt and slaughter as he pleased, then yes, Linden would be a logical kill. But the vampire would have realised that Linden meant no harm. That he had taken the vampire in to heal him, not torment him. The kill would never take place.

He let a few more seconds pass, just to be sure, but the vampire didn’t move an inch. It didn’t look like he was even breathing.

“You stopped yourself. Well d… thank you. I’m pleased. I hope you’re pleased too.”

Finally, a sliver of emotion started to surface on the vampire’s face. Deep, anguished fear. His new owner was delivering a speech before he got on with torturing his new pet to death- or something.

“Was it because I moved the bowl away? And my wrist was so near?”

Linden was surprised by the intensity with which the vampire shook his head. No? Linden had been so sure, though.

The vampire’s lip moved, not a tearful wobble, but as if he wanted to speak… just for a second.

When he had called them the night before, Linden had been told quite firmly by the vampire handlers that the thing didn’t speak. Linden had tried to press them to clarify wouldn’t or couldn’t, but they had insisted it was the same thing. Judging by the collar scars, Linden felt that it had started as a rule and turned into a permanent condition as the abuse escalated.

“Then… what? Can you show me?”

He remembered how the vampire had acted out a request for the muzzle with surprising competence. This time, there was nothing.

“You can move. You’re allowed.”

The second hand on Linden’s watch ticked by as the vampire found the courage to raise his right arm, then bring it down forcefully, palm open.

Linden nodded, and unclenched his hands from the kitchen counter, pushing them into his pockets. He felt safe again, and needed his body language to reflect that. He needed to project that safety outwards. “No, I promise, I would never hit you. I was just cleaning away the bowl. Next time, you could put it with the dirty dishes yourself?”

The vampire searched Linden’s face, then nodded.

“If I gave you a piece of paper, could you write a message, perhaps? We could use that in the future.”

The vampire glanced down at his own hands. They were particularly badly savaged, for certain, but Linden was also very aware of his vampiric healing ability. Linden had a small notepad and pen handy on the table. If someone ever wanted to take a crayon rubbing of all the indentations left behind, they would be left with a neatly written list of milk, rice, carrots, mushrooms, shampoo. And so on.

Indicating for the vampire to take it, Linden was encouraged when he did so. While he wrote, Linden went and picked up the blood bowl, taking it to the sink for a scrub.

He turned when he heard a clipped rustling noise behind him. The noise sounded as if someone had pressed pause on it too early. It contained sounds that made sense- the chair scraping as it moved, footsteps on the stairs- but they all came too fast. By the time he turned, the vampire was gone, and the notepad was covered in ink.

I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry your pet is so sorry Master Master I won’t do it again I never meant to I’m a good boy I’m good now I promise I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry

What intrigued Linden the most was where he could just make out the words I deserve to die, obscured under layers and layers of harshly crossed lines. The vampire wanted to take it back. Did it mean he wanted to live?

. . .

Nothing would let Linden sleep that night. He didn’t try to fight it. Though the initial terror had been quickly warded off, his heart was still beating faster than usual.

Instead, he reached for his phone and stared at the last messages he’d sent to his brother.

His thumb hovered.

Should he?

Vik would fly off the handle if the vampire so much as stuck his tongue out at Linden.

Linden squinted against the unnatural light, his lip curling.

After a few minutes, he put the phone down.

-

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